The Magic Hour

With the Nascar Chase for the Rain heading into New Hampshire this weekend, one question is on everybody's mind--how the heck did New Hampshire Motor Speedway get the nickname "The Magic Mile"? Here's some theories from the lab:

--Only the "black arts" can explain how a track SO boring got two Cup races per year.

--It has a lot in common with the Orlando Magic…in that people ask "Why the hell is there a track in New Hampshire?" the same way they ask "Why the hell is there a basketball team in Orlando?"

--That extra lap/mile they tack on to the Lenox 301? Pure magic, fellas.

--The property is owned by one of the trolls that live under Dover's Monster Bridge.

--The track's first marketing director had "Magic Man" by Heart stuck in his head (and, now, so you do).

--Originally, they wanted a more apropos nickname like "The Tricky Triangle", but "The Outrageous Oval" never made it out of the meeting room.

--David Copperfield drove by it one time back in 1995 or something.

--As the IndyCar race proved, drivers like Will Power can make two birds magically appear!